


took a while, took my time, to build up something new

by lydiasage



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-27
Updated: 2019-01-24
Packaged: 2019-09-28 12:01:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17182613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lydiasage/pseuds/lydiasage
Summary: Eren's ambiguous sexuality somehow becomes a topic of interest for his peers and superior officers.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Planning on this having four or so chapters, mostly planned out so far.

i.

Captain Levi wasn’t quite sure how, but somehow Eren’s sexuality became an everyday topic for the soldiers and trainees at the Survey Corps headquarters. That is when Eren wasn’t around, of course. To Levi’s knowledge, Eren didn’t seem to have any clue about how his ambiguous behavior was frequently talking point amongst his peers, but if he did know it didn’t seem to bother him in the slightest. 

The fact the the subject had even reached Levi’s ears meant that it must be even more popular than he would have guessed. Not that Levi was out of the loop when it came to the daily commerce of his soldiers, but he did prefer to keep a certain distance from most of it. For professional reasons. Unless the topic was something that could directly affect Levi or his team’s performance, it didn’t hold enough significance for him to involve himself. But that didn’t mean he didn’t hear things. And he cataloged it all away in his mind in case it became important in the future, more knowledge never hurt. At least in Levi’s case. 

The talk of Eren seemed to have even infiltrated the conversations of the higher ranking officers.

“I’m just saying,” Hanji exclaimed, “for a boy with such a sweet face and endearing attitude you would think he would have eyes for someone. It’s not like he’s shy, you know.” 

She made a show of cleaning her glasses with the sleeve of her uniform, but Levi knew that when she placed them back on her face they were probably even more smudged than before. He tried to not outwardly grimace at that thought and turned his attention back to the book he had been attempting read before Hanji had apparently decided this was a topic their squad needed to discuss.

Levi’s squad were all occupying a table together for dinner, a table that was far enough away from the boy in question that Hanji had deemed the subject appropriate. 

She had a considering expression on her face when she spoke next, “Maybe he’s seeing someone secretly… Although Eren never really struck me as a private kind of person, but maybe matters relating to the heart are different for him.” 

“I don’t know about that,” Petra said while looking like she was holding back a laugh. “He flirts with everyone, but who knows if he’s ever serious. I don’t know if Eren even knows is he’s serious half the time.” 

Levi rolled his eyes at that, half these brats wouldn’t know serious if it flew over the wall and knocked them on their ass, they’re children. 

But his mouth betrayed him and out loud he said, “Isn’t he with the dark-haired girl? The mean one?” 

Hanji made a face at that, “Levi, Mikasa is his sister.” 

“Adopted sister,” Levi corrected without looking up from his book. He had been reading the same sentence for a while now. “She’s always hanging around him like a dark cloud, anyway.” 

“Well, they grew up together. They’ve been through a lot. I don’t know how Mikasa feels about him, but I’ve never seen Eren express anything romantic towards her. If anything, I see him mostly get annoyed at her mothering most of the time.” Petra added while pushing some stray crumbs on her plate with her fork. 

Hanji nodded animatedly, “That’s what I’ve seen too.” 

Oluo finally decided to voice his own thoughts, the most amazing part of that being that he kept them to himself for so long. 

“Who cares who that brat is into, it’s not like anyone is jumping to hook up with a monster anyway, he probably couldn’t even get someone to fuck him if tried. Not to mention he’s not even that attr--” He cut himself off with a yelp as he once again caught his tongue between his teeth. 

Levi considered the amount of blood on the handkerchief that Oluo brought away from his mouth with an emotion that bordered between disgust and satisfaction. Oluo really was his own worst enemy.

“Don’t call him a monster, Oluo. Unless you’re ready to acknowledge that we’re all monsters in one way or another. There’s no need to be cruel.” Petra said as she shook her head disapprovingly. 

“Yeah, don’t be mean, Oluo!” Hanji jumped in. “You’re just jealous that in addition to being our secret weapon against the titans he was also blessed with such a cute face. I mean he’s dangerous, adorable, and possibly the strongest person inside these walls, he would be quite a catch.” 

Levi hummed, amused with the conversation despite himself.

“And here I was thinking that was my title,” Levi commented dryly, turning a page he hadn’t even read. 

Hanji made a noise like she was trying to laugh and talk at the same time, obviously pleased that Levi was partaking in a conversation he would normally turn his nose up at. He must be in a good mood. 

“Humanity's Strongest, Humanity’s Last Hope, they’re both a bit of a mouthful, aren’t they? You never were one for titles anyway, Levi. But oh, look!” Her voice ended in a whisper-shout that was somehow even louder that her normal voice. She was gesturing to the table across the dining hall that Eren and his group of friends were eating at. 

“Look at him! Look at that face and tell me he doesn’t know how charming he is. Everyone is eating his words up. There’s no way he doesn’t know that.” 

Levi’s curiosity got the best of him as he turned his attention away from his book and up towards the green-eyed boy across the room. Hanji was right, all attention at the table was on him. He looked to be in the middle of an animated story; strong hands emphasising his words, eyes bright, and face flushed as he talked excitedly. 

The tiny cute blonde girl, was sitting to Eren’s right. 

Christa, Levi’s mind supplied after a moment’s pause. 

Her face was resting in her hands as she watched Eren tell his tale. You could almost see the hearts in her eyes from here. Hell, half the people at the table had the same look in their eyes, but not to the same degree as the girl. Even Jean, who Levi was aware Eren had conflicted with in the past, was watching him such rapt attention Levi wondered if he was remembering to breathe. 

Suddenly, Eren threw his head back in a loud laugh at a comment Armin interjected into his story. He ruffled Armin’s hair with an affectionate smile and then continued on. Levi noticed the blonde boy duck his head to try and hide his pleased smile at Eren’s attention, but even the cap of blonde hair falling towards his face wasn’t enough to hide the slight pink blush that now covered his cheeks. 

Levi’s brow raised at that. Maybe he had misread Eren and Mikasa’s relationship. Maybe he had misread Eren and Armin’s too. 

Hanji apparently had noticed the same thing and made a considering noise, “It’s between the two blondes.” Her eyes were sharp as she watched the scene in front of her. 

“My bet’s on the girl,” Petra said suddenly, surprising the rest of the Squad as she was not normally one for bets or gambling of any kind. 

Eld finally gave in to the conversation, never being able to resist participating in a bet. 

“Mine too,” he said bluntly through a mouthful of food. 

Hanji grinned and it seemed almost manic, eyes flashing behind her glasses, “I’m going to go with Armin then, he has known Eren longer… I feel like he might have some tricks up his sleeve.” 

She slammed her hands down on the table in excitement, “Okay! Oluo, Gunther? Who do you pick?” 

“Armin,” Gunther said from the end of the table where he was in the process of writing a letter. 

Oluo made an annoyed noise, waving a hand dismissively through the air, “Neither! That brat doesn’t have a chance--” 

“Oluo!” Petra interrupted with a stony glare. “Pick or be quiet.” She ordered. 

He put his hand back on the table looking even more annoyed. “Fine. Christa.” 

“Okay, three for Christa, two for Armin…” Hanji trailed off and Levi could feel her gaze on the side of his face. He kept a straight face as he pretended to keep reading. 

“Levi,” she drew out his name with a slight whine to her voice. 

He rolled his eyes again and considered ignoring her but for some reason he glanced back up at Eren’s table, spending a moment looking at each one of the trainees. While Eren seemed to have no trouble garnering the attention of his peers, none of them seemed to be capable of holding his undivided attention. 

“Neither,” Levi stated in a bored tone. “Actually, he’s not interested in a single person at that table. Blonde or brunette, woman or man…” He trailed off, eyes falling back to his book once again. 

Hanji seemed disappointed in his answer, and looked back at the table as if trying to see through Levi’s eyes. 

“Stick in the mud, Levi,” she said under her breath and Levi’s eyes narrowed as he held back a sharp comment about her keeping his name and mud out of her mouth.

The conversation fell away as Petra brought up a new technique she was working on for a more seamless transition from their horses to the air using their maneuvering gear, and Levi tried to get back into the book he was reading but he couldn’t help glancing up at Eren’s table once more.   
It looked like Jean was in the process of proposing an arm wrestling match to Eren. He had a determined look in his eyes with his arm on the table, hand open as he held himself high, daring Eren to take the challenge. In contrast to Jean’s seriousness, Eren looked thoroughly amused by his peer. His brilliant green eyes almost dancing with mischief as he carefully placed his arm on the table and leaned in to take Jean’s hand in his own. 

Levi wondered if anyone else noticed the smile Eren was trying to hold back as Jean started to count down from five to begin the match. 

Before he could reach one, Eren lurched forward suddenly, pulling Jean with him and planted a firm kiss on his forehead, the ash-haired boy not able to pull away with his hand in Eren’s tight grip. 

The rest of the table was laughing uproariously as Eren released Jean and fell back into his seat, relaxed and completely at ease with a grin on his face. Jean on the other hand was a sputtering mess as he stood up suddenly, his chair making an ugly screeching sound across the floor. 

“You--” Jean pointed at Eren, face red as he swallowed whatever words he was going to say. He turned around stiffly and walked away, ignoring his friends half-heartedly attempting to call him back through their laughter. 

After watching the scene unfold, Levi realized he had a slight smile on his face. The corners of his mouth turned up, just barely, but still. A smile. He shook his himself almost imperceptibly, as if he could rid his amusement that way but looking back at his book he found himself still fighting it. 

Brat.


	2. Chapter 2

ii. 

The only reason Levi overheard the conversation was because he was perched in the window of his office, sweeping away spiderwebs with a rag in an exasperated manner. He had been attempting to get some paperwork done but every single time he glanced out that window all he could see were those webs fluttering lightly in the wind. It irritated him. 

There weren’t even any spiders in sight-- not that that would have stopped him in the first place, but maybe it would have made him pause for a moment. At least the spider webs would have been serving some kind of purpose besides floating around in a manner that Levi couldn’t help but be slightly infuriated with. 

The last of the webs were brushed away under Levi’s quick and effective hands while he muttered something under his breath about not being responsible for what happens if you leave your post abandoned; his mind going over an almost comical scene where a shocked spider returns to find his home destroyed. 

Unfortunately, that’s life, Levi thought to himself. Sometimes you’re forced to rebuild.

He was about to climb back inside and start again on his paperwork when he heard sounds from below. His office was on the second level of the castle that served as the Survey Corps’ headquarters but the voices travelled that distance easily. 

Levi leaned out a little to see that a small group of trainees had taken residence against the side of the building. He could see some others practicing hand-to-hand combat in the field a little distance away and assumed this group was taking a break. It looked to be Ymir, Christa, Connie, and Jean. He retreated back to his desk and mountain of paperwork but decided to leave the window open. For fresh air, of course. 

“You haven’t said a thing all day, Christa, why are you being even quieter than usual?” The voice unquestionably belonged to Connie and it was followed by a thud and a low groan. 

“Leave her be.” Ymir’s steady voice. 

“Ugh, I was just asking.” Connie whined. “Sorry for being polite.” 

“Oh, Ymir, it’s fine. I’m just feeling a little down is all.” Christa’s soft voice was more difficult to hear than the rest, not that it mattered because Levi was completely focused on his work like the professional Captain he was. 

It was quiet below and for a moment he wondered if they had decided to rejoin the training, but when Christa spoke again he realized they were just waiting to hear if she would elaborate. 

“I, uh, asked Eren if he felt anything towards me at all...and he said he loved me…” She trailed off. 

“What?” Jean asked dubiously. “He loves you?” 

Connie echoed his questioned, less eloquently. Levi put down his writing utensil and listened hard. 

“Well, yes, but not like you’re thinking. I was confused at first too, because I didn’t think us that close… I just wondered if he was interested in me at all and maybe we would see where it could go.” She explained this slowly and Levi forced himself not to grind his teeth. Could this girl speak any slower? 

“But he’s not interested in me. At least, not like that. But he does love me.” She continued. 

“O-kay...” Connie drew the word out long. 

“He said he loves you all too,” Christa continued like he hadn’t spoke and there was a moment of hushed silence all around.

“He loves all of us.” It was a question but Jean said it so flatly it didn’t come off that way. 

Christa just made a noise of confirmation, Levi could imagine the delicate shrug of her shoulders that would accompany the sound. 

“Honestly, that’s why I’m feeling down. He could have been mean, or just told me to get lost, but he was very sweet about the whole thing. He said he didn’t think he could give me what I needed, but he loves me and does hope I find someone who can...Said that he loves all of us and hopes we all find that…” Christa trailed off again. “It would have been easier if he was mean about it.” 

Ymir snorted at that, “He should have been mean. Maybe you would get over him quicker.” 

Levi could have laughed at the barely disguised jealousy hidden in her voice. 

“He is so…” Jean made a noise of frustration. “It’s like, he’d be the first person to push you into a lake but also the first to jump in and pull you out.” 

Connie hummed in agreement, “Yeah, he did push me into a fountain once.” 

“Don’t worry,” Ymir interjected, sounding like she was holding back a laugh. “He only did it because he loves you.” 

There was some more laughter at that, but Christa broke it with her soft voice, strangely serious and intimate. 

“I know you all think it’s silly, but I see what he means and I love you too.” 

It wasn’t an odd thing to say, not really. Levi had definitely heard such declarations among soldiers before. The odd thing about it was the timing and the place. In the heat of battle, when forced to acknowledge you might never see your comrades alive again, that’s when he normally heard such things. But on a day like this-- the afternoon pulling the sun high in the sky, no direct threats looming over them, it felt almost surreal to hear. The bond between this year's trainees was something unique and it reminded him of his own squad, though he shouldn’t be surprised considering what these kids had gone through together. For a moment he was unbearably aware that while this may be familiar to him, he was intruding upon a moment he had no place in.

As he got up to quietly close the window he heard the group below teasing Christa, but with a fondness that Levi knew well. He heard the boys mutter versions of Christa’s declaration back to her, much less serious and intimate but touching all the same. He didn’t hear Ymir say anything but if it were possible for someone’s silence to come off as chaotic, hers did. Levi could almost imagine her thoughts as solid things, floating up to his window. Almost as annoying as the spiderwebs. 

He shut the window with careful hands, a barely audible click the only evidence of his curious ears. Though he tried to resume his paperwork his mind was occupied with green eyes and a daring smile. He couldn’t help but be intrigued by Eren who had somehow learned to inspire his peers in a way many men would envy. It wasn’t a quality that could be imitated, it was something he found inside himself and developed in earnest. And though Levi felt damned to admit that it was an attractive, powerful, and captivating quality, it was. With anyone else Levi would have wondered if they utilized it with ulterior motives, but with Eren he knew without a doubt that it was purely from his heart. It was stupidly genuine, in a messy way that should have made Levi uncomfortable but instead left him contemplating how far Eren’s love extended.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you think!! I'm very excited for what this is building towards, and I can't wait to post the next chapter...How do you guys feel about long, candlelit, late night conversations between captain and soldier?


	3. Chapter 3

iii. 

Levi swore that he really did try and fall asleep. Some nights he didn’t have much trouble, others he did, and as far as he could tell there was no rhyme or reason for it. If there was a reason it was too beyond him to identify anyway, which was preferable as far as he was concerned. How he saw it was that over analyzing his demons wouldn’t make them disappear, and giving them too much attention would enable them to run rampant, so the best course of action was just to coexist as them as well as he could. 

Before settling into bed for the night Levi indulged himself in a hot bath, even breaking out his favorite scented candles for the occasion. While unwinding in the steaming, lavender scented water, Levi thought that there was no way the rest of the evening could get away from him. After his bath he sat at his desk, had a cup of his favorite tea while he reading a book; an old, fairytale-filled thing from outside the walls that he certainly wouldn’t have gotten his hands on if not for his rank and position. He wasn’t sure if he liked the book or not but it was entertaining, full of monsters and horrors that paled in comparison to his own life. When all that was left of his tea was dregs, his body felt heavy, and he felt as if he blinked a little too long that his eyes might not open, and he decided it was time to turn in. 

He slid into bed, clean pajamas, clean sheets. The blankets were heavy across his body, providing a comfortable grounding weight that Levi craved. He closed his eyes, bone-tired. Training today had been brutal. Hanji’s focus had been on Eren’s stamina in his titan form, having him transform and then basically telling him to run alongside the forest until he dropped. And since Levi was responsible for the brat, he ended up zipping through the trees with his maneuvering gear until his body ached if anyone even looked at him wrong. 

Yet, despite his limbs feeling like lead, sleep evaded him. He couldn’t even fall into a restless slumber, the kind where he awoke and was left wondering if that could even be counted as sleep at all. He couldn’t stop thinking about his squadmates, his team, his soldiers.

Eren, his mind whispered. 

All the lives that were parallel to his. All the lives that he had failed in the past, and all the lives he will inevitably fail in the future. Uncountable. He didn’t even want to think about it, but not giving each one of those a moment of his thoughts seemed callous. He felt as if he owed them that much, at the very least. A place in his thoughts, a moment or two to be remembered and honored. 

So in the darkness of his room, Levi’s mind didn’t race, but it was at a brisk walk. Running through names of comrades he lost and thinking about those he trained with every day. 

Aline favored her right side when attacking, leaving her left unguarded  
Jonas threw too much weight behind his turns while using his maneuvering gear.   
Otto acts like he’s never seen a goddamn horse in his entire life, let alone rode one. 

All things that needed to be dealt with in one way or another, and Levi was going to have to be the one to bring them up because he was the one who noticed most of these things anyway. The manner in which he would bring the issues up might leave something to be desired but the way Levi looked at it was that at least someone cared enough to in the first place. 

And of course, with all of this occupying his mind, one thing rose above it all. After training today, Levi had noticed the tack room in the stable was an honest-to-god nightmare and, absurd as it was, he hasn’t been able to get it off his mind since. 

Since it looked like he wasn’t going to be getting rest anytime soon Levi pulled himself from his warm bed and pulled on his boots with an irritated noise. He didn’t bother changing out of his pajamas, the silky blue button-up and matching bottoms would have to be decent enough for the horses. 

Lantern lighting his way, he started to the stables, half his mind still going over drills to do during tomorrow’s training. He was almost upon the doors when he realized there was a warm glow coming inside the building. 

He paused outside for a moment, his thin night clothes provided essentially no protection from the chill and a shiver went up his spine against his will. Tsk. 

It wouldn’t be the first (or last) time that a couple of trainees decided to use the stables for a late night roll-in-the-hay, and if Levi had been in a better mood he might have turned around and just let them have at it. But there was a mess in there and he had walked all the way out here to clean it and he would be damned to go back to his room and keep thinking about it. 

He started to push the door open, resigned to the fact that he was about to ruin some teenager’s night, and hoping- no, praying, that it wouldn’t be too traumatic of an encounter, when he heard a quiet voice. 

“...and I wouldn’t blame you, you know? But outside the walls, you’re really our only chance of outrunning any titans, unless there’s trees around. So it’s best if we stick together. Or I guess that’s what’s best for us humans...You probably wouldn’t have much to worry about out there. I’d hope you wouldn’t leave us though.” 

Bemused, Levi pushed the door open the rest of the way with a little more force than necessary, ensuring it made a low creak announcing his presence. 

The voice stopped it’s rambling and there was nothing but the muted sounds of the horses, the wind outside, and Levi’s quiet breathing for a handful of seconds. And then a head hesitantly peeked around the corner of one the stalls closest to the door. 

Whatever Eren was expecting to see in the stable doors in the middle of the night, it wasn’t Captain Levi. And it certainly wasn’t Captain Levi in silky baby blue pajamas, hair mussed like he had just woken up to top it off. 

Startled, he dropped the brush he had been holding to give an awkward salute to the man.   
“You look a little cold,” his mouth decided to say before his brain got a chance to give any input. “Sir.” He tacked on hastily. 

Captain Levi tsked at him, gaze drawing down Eren’s frame in an unhurried but scrutinizing manner. He felt himself get hot under that gaze, though he was still in full uniform he somehow felt even more undressed than the captain. 

“At ease, Jaeger.” Levi closed the door behind him before setting his lantern on a couple of crates stacked next to it. 

Eren relaxed from his stance but still felt stiff, unsure of what to expect from the man before him. He waited for him to speak first. 

“Exactly how often,” he started, leaning against a stall lightly, “do you come down here to talk to horses in the middle of the night?” 

While anyone else would have looked undignified wearing night clothes paired with boots, Levi managed to look regal and in control and dangerous, standing in the stables, lanterns casting quick shadows across his face. 

“I guess I just don’t get enough of Jean during the day, huh?” He laughed nervously, not really answering the question as he knelt down to pick up the dropped brush. 

Levi didn’t laugh but there was something related to amusement in those steel-grey eyes.   
“I’m sure the horses are better conversationalists,” he commented dryly, eyes wandering over to the tack room. Something changed in his expression by what he saw. 

Eren didn’t turn to look. He had spent the last hour sorting through, untangling, and hanging up all the equipment the had been strewn across the tack room floor so he knew it like the back of his hand. Instead he watched the captain’s face intently and he surveyed the room for a few moments before turning his gaze back to Eren, the tension in his body seeming to lessen, just a bit. 

“Your work?” He questioned, not bothering to elaborate. 

Eren gave a quick nod, “I was already in here, seemed silly to ignore a mess like that.”   
Levi nodded his head in agreement, his eyes still on Eren but not really looking at him. 

He seemed lost in thought as they stood there together, the lantern flickering wildly as if it couldn’t swallow oxygen from the air fast enough, starved. Eren knew the feeling. He wanted Levi to look at him, really look at him. 

“I beat you to it though. If you came all the way down here to straighten it up, that is.” Eren stated cheekily, trying not to grin as Levi was shaken from his thoughts and his eyes narrowed at him. 

“Maybe I should just make it your job from now on then, since you’re so on top of things.” He said testily, straightening his shirt as he moved to pull a chair away from the wall to sit in front of the stall Eren was previously occupying. 

“If that would please you, sir,” Eren said politely, tongue in cheek. 

“Please me…” Levi scoffed, and waved a hand at him. “Go finish whatever you were doing, I’m not going to walk all the way back to my room after coming all the way down here. I’ll keep you...company.” He said the last word after a slight pause, it fell flat compared to the rest of his sentence. 

Eren wondered if he was worried he would turn him away. As if he would-- as if he could, he was his superior, anyway. Eren shook those thoughts away. He was probably just wondering why Eren was down in the stables in the middle of the night, cleaning and talking to horses. Captain Levi probably thought he was crazy and wanted to make sure ‘Humanity’s Last Hope’ wasn’t unhinged. Well, more unhinged than was expected from a boy who could turn into a fifteen-meter monster. 

God, Eren hoped they wouldn’t start locking him back up in the dungeon at night. He still slept there, preferring the privacy but hadn’t been considered as such a threat that he needed to be locked in for weeks now. 

“I’m not crazy,” the words left his mouth before he even realized he spoke them. 

Levi raised an eyebrow at him, ankles crossed as he leaned back in the wooden chair and Eren rushed to finish his thought, going back to brushing the horse that was knocking gently against his shoulder for attention. 

“For being out here, I mean. I just couldn’t sleep so I thought I might as well do something useful like clean, and brushing the horses is always calming-- not that I’m not calm! I just had a lot on my mind and I just like brushing the horses. I think bonding with them is important too because we rely on them so much and…” Eren trailed off, not knowing if he should continue from the strange look Levi was giving him. 

“I wasn’t thinking you’re crazy,” Levi offered, still with that expression on his face. If Eren didn’t know better he would think Levi was entertained by him. 

“I was just glad there wasn’t anyone fucking in here,” he continued, wrinkling his nose in distaste. “Do they even realize how unhygienic that is?” 

Eren face reddened, “Well, when your other option is the barracks..” 

Levi snorted. “And by ‘your’ you mean everyone else, right? You’re the only rookie with their own room, lucky brat.” 

Eren fought to get his blushing under control. 

“Maybe I should rent it out, then, since I’m not putting it to any use and I’m in the stables all night anyway.” Eren said, sarcasm coloring his voice. 

“I thought you and that blonde girl had something going on,” Levi said it innocently and Eren gave him a imploring look, wondering what the captain had heard. 

“Christa? No way… I could never, I mean, she’s beautiful and sweet but I…” Eren trailed off once again, not able to organize his thoughts, but this time Levi didn’t say anything; just waited for Eren to continue. 

He swallowed audibly and spoke his words carefully, “I think that once you train with someone, you can see what they need...who they need. And it becomes clearer if you can give them what they’re asking for.” 

Levi hummed at that, “You make it sound so simple, I don’t think it’s that black and white for everyone.” 

“It is for me,” Eren stated simply, with a shrug, wondering how the conversation took such an odd serious turn. Discussing his love life with his captain in the stables in the middle of the night… It was an absurd thought, but considering everything that had happened this year Eren should be used to surreal situations. 

“Is there anyone you’ve trained with that you think you could give what they’re asking for?” Levi questioned, unconvinced but intrigued despite it. 

It wasn’t that he disagreed, not really, in Levi’s mind it was that black and white too but he wasn’t in a hurry to tell Eren that. 

Eren glanced up from brushing the horse, and seemed to weigh his next words greatly before answering. 

“I think I’ve trained with someone who I could give something more than what they’re asking for.” 

He went back to brushing, eyes turned down so he didn’t see the quick fleeting surprise that crossed the captain’s face.


End file.
